Incubator with air curtain

Abstract

An incubator for cell and tissue culture under controlled atmospheric conditions has a primary air flow control device that forms a primary, preferably laminar flow, air veil across an opening that allows access to the cells or tissue cultures disposed within the incubator. Preferably, most if not all of the air in the primary (laminar flow) air veil is recirculated, and a secondary air flow control device is used that forms a secondary, preferably laminar flow, air veil between the primary (laminar flow) air veil and a user of the incubator.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A gas supply system for a controlled atmosphere incubator, comprising:
 an ambient air compressor fluidly coupled to a gas mixing unit via a first conduit; 
 a second conduit coupling the ambient air compressor to a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit or a membrane filtration unit, wherein the PSA or membrane unit is configured to produce a nitrogen rich product; 
 wherein the second conduit further couples the PSA or membrane unit to the gas mixing unit; 
 a third conduit configured to allow coupling of the gas mixing unit to the controlled atmosphere incubator; 
 a control unit operationally coupled to the controlled atmosphere incubator; and 
 a first gas sensor located in the controlled atmosphere incubator and electronically coupled to the control unit, 
 wherein the control unit is configured to regulate flow and/or composition of a gas stream flowing from the gas mixing unit to the controlled atmosphere incubator in response to a signal from the first gas sensor, thereby maintaining a desired gas mix in the controlled atmosphere incubator. 
 
     
     
       2. The gas supply system for a controlled atmosphere incubator of  claim 1 , wherein the first gas sensor is configured to measure a concentration of oxygen or carbon dioxide in the incubator in real-time. 
     
     
       3. The gas supply system of  claim 2 , further comprising a second gas sensor configured to measure a concentration of oxygen or carbon dioxide in the gas stream flowing from the gas mixing unit, and wherein the control unit is configured to use signals from the first and second gas sensors. 
     
     
       4. The gas supply system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further electronically coupled to a temperature sensor and/or a humidity sensor, and wherein the control unit is configured to activate a heater and/or activate a humidifier in response to respective signals received by the temperature sensor and/or a humidity sensor. 
     
     
       5. The gas supply system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further electronically coupled to an atmospheric pressure sensor and/or an altimeter, and wherein the control unit is configured to correct partial pressures in response to respective signals received by the atmospheric pressure sensor and/or the altimeter. 
     
     
       6. The gas supply system of  claim 1 , further comprising a source of compressed CO 2  fluidly coupled to the gas mixing unit via a fourth conduit. 
     
     
       7. The gas supply system of  claim 6 , wherein the first, the second, the third, and/or the fourth conduit includes a flow control valve and/or a mass flow meter, and wherein the flow control valve and/or a mass flow meter are operationally coupled to the control unit. 
     
     
       8. The gas supply system of  claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and/or third conduit further comprises a surge tank. 
     
     
       9. The gas supply system of  claim 8 , wherein the third conduit is further fluidly coupled to a second surge tank upstream of a second controlled atmosphere incubator. 
     
     
       10. The gas supply system of  claim 1 , wherein the desired gas mix is a mixture of 5-6 vol % CO 2 , 0.5-20.95% O 2 , and N 2  as remaining balance. 
     
     
       11. The gas supply system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to calculate a correction factor for a non-ideal gas using a look-up table. 
     
     
       12. The gas supply system of  claim 1 , wherein the controlled atmosphere incubator is coupled to the gas mixing unit. 
     
     
       13. A method of supplying gas to a controlled atmosphere incubator, comprising:
 providing a gas supply system that comprises (a) an ambient air compressor fluidly coupled to a gas mixing unit via a first conduit, (b) a second conduit coupling the ambient air compressor to a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit or a membrane filtration unit, wherein the PSA or membrane unit is configured to produce a nitrogen rich product, wherein the second conduit further couples the PSA or membrane unit to the gas mixing unit, and (c) a control unit configured to independently operate respective valves in the first and second conduits; 
 feeding a gas stream from the gas supply system to the controlled atmosphere incubator via a third conduit that fluidly connects the gas mixing unit to the controlled atmosphere incubator; 
 receiving, by the control unit, a signal from a first gas sensor located in the controlled atmosphere incubator; and 
 using the signal in the control unit to operate at least one of the valves in the gas supply system to thereby regulate flow and/or composition of the gas stream flowing from the gas mixing unit to the controlled atmosphere incubator. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first gas sensor is configured to measure a concentration of oxygen or carbon dioxide in the incubator in real-time. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the steps of receiving, by the control unit, a second signal from a second gas sensor located in the third conduit, and using the second signal in the control unit to operate at least one of the valves in the gas supply system to thereby regulate flow and/or composition of the gas stream flowing from the gas mixing unit to the controlled atmosphere incubator, wherein the second gas sensor is configured to measure a concentration of oxygen or carbon dioxide in the gas stream flowing from the gas mixing unit. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of receiving, by the control unit, respective signals from a temperature sensor and/or a humidity sensor located in the controlled atmosphere incubator, and using the temperature and/or humidity signals in the control unit to activate a heater and/or activate a humidifier. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising feeding CO 2  from a source of compressed CO 2  to the gas mixing unit via a fourth conduit. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising a step of receiving, by the control unit, a signal from a mass flow meter located in the first, the second, the third, and/or the fourth conduit, and using the mass flow signal(s) in the control unit to operate at least one of the valves in the gas supply system to thereby regulate flow and/or composition of the gas stream flowing from the gas mixing unit to the controlled atmosphere incubator. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first, second, and/or third conduit further comprises a surge tank. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 13 , wherein regulating the flow and/or composition of the gas stream is performed to achieve a desired gas mix in the controlled atmosphere incubator.